The Elder (Tian Liang, 天梁) star

Shelter and protection; calms what is harsh. Open and unassuming.

One of the fourteen main stars of Purple Star Astrology (Zi Wei Dou Shu, 紫微斗数). They are not stars in the sky: they are fourteen named markers that your birth date and hour place around a ring of twelve palaces, and each palace stands for one part of life. What this star means depends on which palace it lands in.

When this site works out a chart’s type, it counts this star with the Ji Yue Tong Liang family (机月同梁): The Steward, built for structure — steady, capable, works best inside a system.

How the translations are made

What the classic Zi Wei Dou Shu Quan Shu (紫微斗数全书) says it is

Earth, the second star of the southern dipper. It governs long life; its transformed nature is shade, blessing and long years, and it is the ruling star of Parents, turning what is violent into what is harmonious. In a person's chart the nature is open and clear; in the features, weighty, mild and modest, straight and without private motive. Facing a matter it decides. Its shade covers the Self, and the blessing reaches the children. Meeting the Scholar and the Artist (昌曲) in the Wealth palace, and the Sun (太阳) in Wellbeing in trine, it is a name secure on every side, prominent in the royal house, in the office of the censorate. Meeting the Great Drain (大耗), and the Strategist (天机) and a malefic besides, a religious life suits — and even then a royal patent is received. Sharing a degree with the Wolf (贪狼) or the Voice (巨门), ritual and household are both disordered. In Servants, Health or Appearance it is read as abundance. Meeting the Mystic (廉贞), the Punisher (天刑) or the Trouble transformation (化忌), there is certainly no fear of calamity or harm; meeting the Flare and the Ember (火铃), the Punisher or darkness, there is no trouble of campaigning either. The year’s ruling star (Tai Sui, 太岁) clashing it makes blessing; the White Tiger (白虎) coming to it brings no disaster. Reasoned this far, the reckoning decides between straitness and passage. If the Self or the opposite palace holds the Elder (天梁) it means long life — it is a star of the utmost good. Master Xiyi (希夷先生) says again: The Elder is the southern dipper's star in charge of long life, its transformed nature shade and years. It assists the high emperor's authority and is the ruler of Parents. It makes a person clear, fine and mild, steady in form and spirit, open in nature, and good at knowing the art of war. Getting the Scholar and the Artist and the two Aides (左右) gathered, a place in the high offices. In the Parents palace it is weighty and commanding; meeting the Sun in Wellbeing, honour of the first grade. Those born under Yang Earth (戊) or Yin Earth (己) fit the pattern. With the four malefics breaking in, it sprouts and does not flower. Meeting the Strategist and the Great Drain, a quiet religious life. Sharing a degree with the Wolf or the Voice, it ruins the proper order. In Servants and Health, read as abundance. The Mystic, the Punisher or Trouble meeting it, there is no fear of an enemy; the Flare and the Ember, the Punisher or darkness meeting it, no trouble of campaigning. The Tai Sui clashing makes blessing and the White Tiger meeting brings no calamity. The Memorial (奏书) meeting it brings unlooked-for glory, the Green Dragon (青龙) stirring brings the gladness of documents. The Small Drain (小耗) and the Great Drain crossing, nothing undertaken succeeds; the Sickness Charm (病符) and the Lawsuit (官符) pressing in are not read as calamity. A woman with benefics well placed is good for husband and children; with the Scholar and the Artist and the two Aides supporting, a title; with the Blade (擎羊), the Millstone (陀罗), the Flare (火星) or Trouble breaking in, harm and trouble drawn on. For a monk it suits. The song runs: The Elder is Earth by nature, the most favourable star of the southern dipper; transformed to shade it is called lengthened life, the ruling star of the Parents palace. In Property or Siblings, blessing arises of itself. The form and spirit hold themselves steady, the nature is more level still; born with no calamity, with a name made in writing; kin are the more harmonious, and in office one stands in the royal court. If the Voice meets it, toil and hardship gone through; if the Strategist shines on it, a monk enjoying the mountain woods. With the two stars at Dragon (辰) or Dog (戌), blessing and long life need no arguing.

答曰:天梁屬土,南斗第二星也。司壽化氣為蔭為福壽,乃父母之主命化暴戾為祥和。於人命則性情磊落,於相貌則厚重溫謙,循直無私。臨事果決,蔭於身福及子孫。遇昌曲於財宮,逢太陽於福德三合,乃萬全聲名。顯於王室職位,臨於風憲。若逢耗曜,更逢天機及殺,宜僧道,亦受王家制誥。逢貪巨同度而亂禮亂家。居奴僕、疾厄、相貌作豐餘之論。見廉貞刑忌,必無災厄克激之虞;遇火鈴刑暗,亦無征戰之撓。太歲沖而為福,白虎臨而無殃。論而至此,數決窮通之論也。命或對宮有天梁主有壽,乃極吉之星。希夷先生又曰:天梁南斗司壽之星,化氣為蔭為壽。佐上帝威權,為父母主,生人清秀溫和,形神穩重,性情磊落,善識兵法。得昌曲左右加會,位至臺省。在父母宮則厚重威嚴,會太陽於福德,極品之貴。戊己生人合局,若四殺沖破則苗而不秀,逢天機耗曜,僧道清閑。於貪巨同度,則敗倫亂俗。在奴僕疾厄作豐餘之論。廉貞刑忌見之,必無克敵之虞。火鈴刑暗遇之,亦無征戰之撓。太歲沖而為福,白虎會而無災。奏書會則有意外之榮,青龍動則有文書之喜。小耗大耗交遇所幹無成,病符官符相侵不為災論。女人吉星入廟,旺夫益子,昌曲左右扶持封贈,羊陀火忌沖破,僧道宜之。歌曰天梁原屬土,南斗最吉星,化蔭名延壽,父母宮主星,田宅兄弟內,得之福自生,形神自持重,心性更和平,生來無災患,文章有聲名,六親更和睦,仕宦居王庭,巨門若相會,勞碌歷艱辛,若逢天機照,僧道享山林,二星在辰戌,福壽不須論。

One further clause here fixes a woman’s outcome by her sex. It is left out, in the Chinese as well as the English, as everywhere on this site.

The Elder in each of the twelve palaces

Volume two of the classic goes palace by palace and says what each star does there. Each line below is its sentence for this star, translated. “Well placed” and “badly placed” refer to the star’s brightness in that branch.

Self palace (Ming Gong, 命宫)

who you are at core

Shade, its transformed nature (化荫), the star of shade and of long life. Steady in figure and in temper, and mild. With the two Aides and the Scholar and the Artist (左右昌曲) met, rank; with the Strategist (天机), the Sun (太阳), the Scholar (文昌) and the two Aides (左右), and well placed at Rat-Horse-Tiger-Monkey (子午寅申), a clean and visible office. With the Flare (火星) in an idle palace and the Millstone (陀罗) and malefics doubled it turns ill — solitary, harmed, ailing, the family money broken; a life in religion or a craft.

天梁太阴巨门见羊陀火铃忌冲合财帛,否则伤夫克子。天梁属土,南斗化荫,主寿星。天梁入男命吉凶诀:天梁之曜数中强,形神稳重性温良,左右昌曲来会合,管教富贵列朝纲。天梁星宿寿星逢,机日文昌左右同,子午寅申为入庙,官资清显至三公。天梁遇火落闲宫,陀杀重逢更是凶,孤刑带疾破家财,空门技艺可营工。天梁入限吉凶诀:天梁化荫吉星和,二限逢之福必多,若加吉曜逢庙地,贵极一品辅山河。天梁守限寿延长,作事求谋更吉昌,若遇火铃羊陀合,须防一厄与家亡。

Part of this clause fixes a woman’s outcome by her sex; it is left out here, as everywhere on this site.

Siblings palace (Xiong Di, 兄弟)

siblings, and the people alongside you

Well placed, two and harmonious; or several who are not full siblings and not close. Badly placed, none. With the Blessing (天同), three; with the Strategist (天机), two. With the six malefics, few.

天梁庙旺二人和顺,或多不同胞且不和,陷宫全无,天同同三人,天机同二人,见羊陀火铃空劫少。

Spouse palace (Fu Qi, 夫妻)

marriage and close partnership

A wife older and good-looking. With the Blessing (天同), an even temper; with the Strategist (天机), a fine and gentle match. With the six malefics, discord throughout.

天梁妻宜大美容,天同同和气,天机招美淑,加羊陀火铃空劫朵不和顺。

Children palace (Zi Nü, the Children palace (子女))

children, and what you create

Well placed, two. With the six malefics, harm early. With the Blessing (天同) and the Scholar and the Artist and the two Aides (昌曲左右) and benefics, three; with the Strategist (天机), two. With the six malefics, none.

天梁庙旺二人,加羊陀火铃空劫早克,天同同加昌曲左右吉星有三人,天机同有二人,加羊陀火铃空劫全无。

Wealth palace (Cai Bo, 财帛)

money coming in and going out

Well off; well placed, wealth and standing of the first rank. Badly placed, money got by hard work, day to day. With the Blessing (天同), made from nothing and exceeding what was inherited. With the Strategist (天机), much effort for little, and a household built only after a change of course. With the six malefics, hard first and easier after — enough to live on.

天梁富足入庙上等富贵,陷宫辛勤求财度日,天同同白手生财胜祖,天机同劳心用力发财不多,更改方见成家,加羊陀火铃空劫,先难后易仅足度日。

Health palace (Ji E, the Health palace (疾厄))

the body, and what wears it down

The classic has no line for this star in this palace.

Travel palace (Qian Yi, 迁移)

going out — travel, moving, elsewhere

Near people of standing abroad, and patrons who see you through. With blessing runs deep (天同); with the Strategist (天机), a life on the road in one of the arts.

天梁出外近贵贵人成就,天同同福厚,天机同艺术途中走。

Friends palace (Pu Yi, 仆役)

friends and the people you work with

Many, and they prosper you. With the Blessing (天同), servants who guard the household; with the Strategist (天机), not of one mind with you.

天梁奴多旺主,天同同有卫家之奴,天机同不一心。

Career palace (Guan Lu, 官禄)

work and standing

Well placed at Horse (午) and meeting the two Aides (左右) or the two Patrons (魁钺), fit for civil or military. With the Blessing (天同), authority and no small standing; with the Strategist (天机), distinguished and prominent. With the six malefics, ordinary.

天梁庙午会左右魁钺,文武之材天同同权贵不小,天机同峥嵘贵显,加羊陀火铃空劫平。

Property palace (Tian Zhai, 田宅)

home, property, what you keep

Well placed, an inheritance. With the Blessing (天同), hard first and easier after; with the Strategist (天机) and none of the six malefics, property in the end.

天梁入庙旺有祖业,天同同先难后易,天机同不见羊陀火铃空劫,终有田宅。

Wellbeing palace (Fu De, 福德)

peace of mind, and what you enjoy

The classic has no line for this star in this palace.

Parents palace (Fu Mu, 父母)

parents, and anyone with authority over you

Badly placed and with the Blade, Millstone, Flare and Ember (羊陀火铃), solitary and harmed — the line left, married in, renamed, placed with others; raised elsewhere, harm is avoided. With the Blessing (天同) and the four malefics, harm; without malefics, none. With the Strategist (天机), none; with the Sun (太阳), harm late — with the four malefics or the Void and the Plunder (空劫), early.

天梁陷地,加羊陀火铃孤克,弃祖入赘,更名寄人,保养免刑,天同同加四杀有刑,无杀无刑,天机同无刑,太阳同克迟,加四杀空劫亦克早。

Which star is in your Self palace?

That needs your birth hour and place. The chart corrects the hour to true solar time, using the timezone actually in force in your birth year.

Get your Purple Star chart

The other thirteen: The Emperor · The Strategist · The Sun · The Iron · The Blessing · The Mystic · The Treasury · The Moon · The Wolf · The Voice · The Minister · The General · The Disruptor.